Improvement in cigar-boxes



THOMAS mmls Improved Bevan Pmmn JUL 4 $8M Witnesses.

out breaking the stamp.

PATENT, CFFIGE.

THOMAS A. WILEY, OF LAN OASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CIGAR-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,782, dated July 4, 1871.

To all whom itfmay concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. WILEY, of the city and county of Lancaster, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Revenue Cigar-Boxes, of which the following is a specification:

The nature of my invention consists in the manner of applying revenue-stamps to cigarboxes so as to permit a purchaser to inspect the quality and flavor of the cigars, but to prevent removing or tampering with the contents, with- The desire to inspect before purchasing afl'ords an excuse for opening a box, and thus may lead to a fraudulent use of stamped boxes. The value of such an invention is obvious, however simple in itself, and is designed to gratify a laudable desire and prevent excuse for fraud.

The accompanying drawing illustrates several modes for accomplishing this object.

Figure 1 shows an ordinary cigar-box fitted with cross-slats O D sunk into the upper edge of the box, the cross-strip sufficiently wide for the stamp. A chink is left in this case to insert the stamp under the raised lid A. Fig. 2 shows the cross-slats detached from the box. Fig. 3 shows the top of a box with a single broad slat, D, to receive the stamp longitudinally which is simpler and answers the purpose instead of cross-slats. These slats may have shoulders or beveled ends to form a dovetail connection with the box.

The drawing clearly shows the nature of my invention, and needs no special description to enable any one to make and apply my invention. Cigars being packed through the open bottom, the slat or slats can be previously adjusted and fitted in place and the ornamental papers pasted, so that when packed and closed up the box will be ready to receive the stamp by raising the lid and attaching the stamp in the ordinary manner, only that a certain portion comes under the lid of the box. Thus an opportunity is afforded to open the box any number of times, leaving sufficient open space to examine the cigars and flavor, and yet so confined by the slat or slats as to prevent the removal of a single cigar without thereby rupturing the stamp.

Believing these devices both novel and useful, and nothing of the kind heretofore in use, I. do not wish to confine myself to any specific form or number of slats, or manner of insertion, so that the object in view is accomplished substantially in the same manner.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of a revenue cigar-box provided with a cross-slat o1- slats for the reception of the revenue-stamp, substantially in the manner shown, and for the purpose specified.

THOS. A. WILEY.

Witnesses:

JOHN B. WARFEL, JACOB STAUFFER. 

